Snapshots: Senators need a better effort against Devils

Maybe the best approach is to look at the numbers for the Ottawa Senators.

As they prepare to face the New Jersey Devils at the Canadian Tire Centre Tuesday night, the Senators have 31 games left, 60 days until they face the Boston Bruins in the final game of the regular season on April 7th at the TD Garden and 20 days before the NHL trade deadline set for Feb. 26th at 3 p.m. EST.

Yes, there’s still a lot of time before this horrible season comes to an end.

But if the Senators are going to make any kind of impression down the stretch, they can’t have a repeat of what took place Sunday afternoon in a lacklustre 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens where they weren’t very good to start, imploded in the middle and then didn’t really give themselves much of a chance in the third.

The Senators are out of the playoffs but they have to put up more of a fight than they did against the Habs. The club’s effort in a 4-3 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday on the road was much better and the club needs to bring that the rest of the way.

“We have to have the same approach we’ve had the last couple of weeks and that’s just trying to get better with our game and trying to improve,” said centre Derick Brassard following the loss in Montreal Sunday. “If you want to get better, you have do the little things better on the ice. We can’t control anything else.”

The Senators haven’t been able to find consistency all season and failed to win three straight for the only the second time this year with the loss against the Habs.

“It’s a hard league and we know we’re playing against some really good teams,” Brassard added. “Some teams are pushing to make the playoffs. We see flashes (of good effort) and we’d like to do it for 60 minutes.

“Sometimes it’s going to go our way and some it’s not. We just have to stick with it.”

OFF THE GLASS

We’ll find out Tuesday if the Senators will have reinforcement against the Devils. There was no update on winger Bobby Ryan, who suffered a finger injury last Thursday, but coach Guy Boucher indicated Saturday there was a chance he’d be available Tuesday. Ryan was being sent for a second opinion on the finger and that was going to determine whether he’d be ready to play or not vs. the Devils. Of course, the Senators are also waiting to see what happens with winger Mark Stone. He missed his seventh straight game with a knee injury Sunday in Montreal and there was some hope he’d be ready for the Devils but he needs to take part in some heavy practises before that happens. Boucher will have an update on both after the morning skate … It will be goalie Craig Anderson’s turn to start. He made 33 stops in the club’s 4-3 shootout win over the Flyers Saturday in Philly. Boucher is going to alternate the netminders down the stretch and Mike Condon started Sunday in Montreal.

AROUND THE BOARDS

Former Senators centre Chris Kelly, who suited up for the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville on a PTO this season, has joined Canada’s Olympic team and is playing pre-tournament games in Latvia this week before travelling to PyeongChang for the Games. He wore the captain’s ‘C’ in a 2-0 win Sunday in Latvia and is highly regarded by Team Canada coach Willie Desjardins. Though Kelly is prepared to hang up his skates after the Olympics, there’s a chance he could sign as a UFA with an NHL team before the deadline and be there for depth in the post-season. If he doesn’t sign before Feb. 26th, then he’s not eligible for the playoffs … The Senators will face New Jersey backup Keith Kinkaid in the net with Corey Schneider still sidelined with a groin injury. Kinkaid has a 2-1-0 lifetime record against the Senators with a .909 save percentage and a 2.49 goals-against average. Both of those victories have come this season.

THE LAST WORDS

Former NHL defenceman Paul Ranger, who told his story about his battle with mental health with TSN’s Darren Dreger last week, was on the ice with the Ottawa’s AHL affiliate in Belleville Monday. After the skate, he spoke to the players about being aware of any mental health issues. “I gave them a message to be brave when you are, or someone you know, is having an issue like that,” Ranger told the Belleville Senators’ website. “We’re also trying to talk to them about being aware of the signs and symptoms of depression to bring awareness, not only to them, but to their community, as well. It’s really important for them to be able to do that.” … Brassard gave words of encouragement to defenceman Thomas Chabot after his giveaway resulted in a goal by Tomas Plekanec Sunday in Montreal late in the third period to give the Habs a 4-1 lead. “It happens to everyone,” said Brassard, who has Chabot living in his Ottawa home. “Chabot is learning really quickly to be a better defenceman in this league and he’s getting better every day. He tries to improve after every game. It’s one of those plays that happened to him, but it could happen to anyone.”

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